Lawyer Talk: Off the Record

“Can I appeal my conviction or sentence if I pleaded guilty?”

I break down the realities of what happens when you plead guilty, how that decision limits your rights on appeal, and whether there’s any hope of changing your sentence after the fact.

I’ll walk you through real-world scenarios I’ve seen in Ohio courts, explain the “magic words” judges have to say when handing down sentences, and why it’s rarely a home run to challenge a ...

One of the big questions that’s been coming up everywhere lately: how does the First Amendment actually work when it comes to online pornography?

In this episode, I break down the recent Supreme Court case, Free Speech Coalition Inc. v. Paxton, which addresses whether states can require age verification pop-ups on adult websites and whether that crosses the line into unconstitutional territory.

I’ll walk you through the basics of ho...

Law school spends a lot of time on big constitutional theories and landmark cases, but what about the nuts and bolts, like Rule 16, filing demands for discovery, and wading through endless hours of body cam footage?

I’m here to shed light on all of it.

Today, we get into the gritty details of what criminal discovery actually looks like in practice. From being buried under mountains of police video, to dealing with last-minute eviden...

The Importance of Fair Trials for Everyone: "If anybody deserves a fair trial, it is the most guilty, deplorable person you can possibly imagine. Because if he can get a fair trial, then you, when you're not guilty, you can get a fair trial too..." - Steve Palmer

Using Weinstein’s high-profile New York conviction as our guide, I break down why the court’s decision to allow testimony from other alleged victim...

The Reality of Courtroom Standards: "And we don't talk in terms of factual innocence in the courtroom very often. It comes up sometimes on appellate sides of things, but for the most part, it's whether the prosecutor has proved somebody." - Steve Palmer

This is about the notorious case involving Brian Wilson (no, not the Beach Boys icon), who’s been charged with the murder of two police officers up in Morrow...

Legal Nuance in Vehicular Homicide Cases: "So the jury said, look, we think the prosecutor has proved all the elements of drunk driving, meaning operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or operating the motor vehicle with a prohibited blood alcohol content. But we don't think that the prosecutor proved the actual homicide or the murder or the death component of it." - Steve Palmer

The K...

Online Privacy and Law Enforcement Access: "We're arguing that we have a reasonable expectation of privacy when we use these platforms. If we wanted our identity out there, we wouldn't conceal it with a pen name or a handle or whatever you use, a username. And by creating these alternative names, we are telling the world we don't want everybody to have access to my true identity." - Steve Palmer

We’re living...

I am focusing on the complex world of unique criminal convictions—cases like shaken baby syndrome, child sex offenses, and other serious charges that nobody likes to talk about, but that I deal with every day as a defense attorney and appellate advocate.

These cases stand out because the evidence can often be questionable, and the stakes couldn't be higher. I’ll share my own experiences handling appeals and post-conviction work for ...

Should you expect to pay for an initial consultation with a lawyer?

This came up thanks to a great question from one of our production guys, and I realized it’s something a lot of folks are curious about, especially after seeing those “free consultation” ads everywhere.

I’ll walk you through the realities of when lawyers actually charge for that first meeting—why it happens more often in areas like domestic relations and how conflic...

In today’s episode, we’re doing something a little different—we’re actually talking about what you do learn in law school, specifically when it comes to those infamous final exams. I am joined by law student Troy Hendrickson, who’s just wrapped up his second year and lived to tell the tale.

If you’ve ever wondered what law school finals are really like, buckle up. Forget what you know about undergrad exams—here it’s all about three ...

Should you represent yourself in court?

This topic came to mind after I watched a viral video of a defendant trying to go it alone in front of a judge down in Texas, and it got me thinking about the risks and realities of self-representation.

Drawing from my own experiences—and remembering that classic line often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “He who represents himself has a fool for a lawyer”—I’ll share why even I, as a practicing...

I hear all the time: "How do some cases end up in the Ohio Supreme Court or even the U.S. Supreme Court so quickly, when most seem to crawl through the system?"

I’ll walk you through the usual process of appeals and then show you how certain hot-topic cases—like challenges to executive orders or big government actions—can take a legal shortcut.

I’ll explain how declaratory judgment actions and emergency appeals can move these issue...

In this “What’s the Appeal?” episode, I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of getting a case in front of the Ohio Supreme Court, unpacking the crucial difference between correcting mistakes at trial and tackling broader questions of law that really get the justices’ attention.

I’ll explain why not every error at a lower court qualifies for supreme court review, what makes an issue important enough to reach that level, and exactly...

I’m digging deeper into what it’s really like to consult with a lawyer—especially when it comes to criminal defense. I’ll walk you through a recent experience from my own practice, where a well-meaning inquiry turned into an intensive back-and-forth with countless emails and complex attachments.

This got me thinking about the fine line between offering initial guidance and the reality that, just like Abraham Lincoln said, a lawyer’...

I’m tackling a question I hear all the time: “How do lawyers get paid—and what actually happens if my case takes an unexpected turn?” This week, I’m breaking down a listener’s real-world concerns about flat rate fees in criminal defense cases. I’ll walk you through how these agreements usually work, what you should look for in a fee contract, and why it’s so important to have clear communication about money from the very start.

I’ll...

Why do some defendants want to withdraw their guilty pleas, and what are the most common reasons?

This comes up all the time in my legal practice: What can you do if you plead guilty and then change your mind?

I’ll be sharing what really happens behind the scenes when someone wants to withdraw their guilty plea, especially if the sentence they get isn’t what they expected. I’ll explain how joint recommendations work here in Ohio, why...

Let's look at a topic that’s been making a lot of headlines lately: the use of the Alien Enemies Act for deportations, especially with talk around Trump’s immigration policies. Now, don’t worry—I promised to keep things non-political, and I plan to stick to that. Instead, I’m here to walk you through what’s really going on behind the scenes: the legal procedures and how these cases play out in court.

Recently, federal judges in diff...

I’m digging into a question I get all the time—should you talk to the police if they reach out and want you to come down to the station? I know this one makes a lot of folks nervous, especially if you’re worried that staying quiet might make you look guilty, but you’re also hearing that you should never talk to the police without a lawyer.

In this episode, I’m sharing a real scenario from a listener (names changed, of course!) whose...

I want to tackle a hot topic that's getting a lot of attention here in Ohio: police qualified immunity. There's been some buzz lately with talk of amending the Ohio constitution to eliminate qualified immunity, and with moves from the Attorney General and even the Ohio Supreme Court nudging this issue closer to the ballot, the debate is really heating up.

I break down what qualified immunity actually is, why it matters for police of...